Financial Support Options
Discover grant options managed by University Human Resources, in partnership with Staff Council, to help you and your team promote reward, recognition, and well-being across campus.
Peer-to-Peer Recognition
"People who feel good about themselves produce good results." Ken Blanchard
Most people spend much of their time at work interacting with their co-workers. Due to the working relationships employees have with their peers, the peer group has a unique opportunity to influence an employee's self-esteem. Peers are more likely to know how each individual prefers to be recognized and are often aware of fellow workers' "behind the scenes" work that supervisors/managers do not have the opportunity to witness. Peer-to-peer recognition can be informal and relatively easy to implement.
Peer-to-Peer Recognition
- When you hear a positive remark about an individual from a key campus stakeholder or customer.
- When you see them exemplify a University of Iowa Core Value: Creativity, Community, Excellence, Inclusion, and Integrity.
- When they help you out with a project or issue.
- Personal, professional, or other milestones. (ie. Years of Service, completing continued education, completing a marathon, new additions to the family etc.)
- Post a thank-you note on a co-worker's door.
- Give a co-worker a "candy gram" (i.e. lifesaver candies for someone who has been a real "lifesaver" to you, a Snickers bar for someone who keeps morale high with jokes and humor, etc.)
- Send or bring flowers to someone who has done an exceptional job in the workplace or in the community.
- Post a banner in the office or on a co-worker's door recognizing their contribution(s).
- Give them a shoutout in a team meeting.
Recognizing Team Efforts
"Acknowledge when people do well, but reward the whole group for a complete effort."- Tom Peters
When leaders recognize a full team effort, it promotes achievement of mutual goals by group of employees. Without some form of team recognition, team performance may suffer, and individual attitude and motivation problems may arise. Employees will have a common feeling of accomplishment that will strengthen communication ties in the workplace.
Team Recognition
Consider recognizing your team when they:
- Accomplish annual, monthly, and weekly goals
- Innovate a new work process or improve an existing one
- Acquire a new customer or give exceptional service to an existing stakeholder
- Cut costs that leads to a lasting impact on operations
- Help another team take on extra work to advance a strategic initiative
- Overcome an obstacle or solve a problem
- Develop positive ways to deal with conflict as a team
- Welcoming a new team member and successfully onboarding them
- Submit article about team to a newsletter like Iowa Now.
- Post on departmental website or social media.
- Submit a team Improving Our Workplace Award nomination.
- Maintain team bulletin board with photos of accomplishments.
- Recognize team efforts in regularly scheduled team meetings.
- Throw a party in honor of the team's accomplishments.
- Host a team holiday party, retreat, or quarterly dinner to show appreciation.
- Provide small tokens or gifts of appreciation.
- Host a wellness event. (ie. host a mindfulness training, group exercise class, provide a healthy lunch, etc.)
Individual Recognition
"The way to develop the best that is in a person is by appreciation and encouragement." - Charles Schwab
When supervisors or teams take time to recognize individuals for their accomplishments and contributions to their unit and the university, it increases employee engagement and well-being. Consistent and timely recognition can make a great impact in an employee's personal and professional journey.
Individual Recognition
Consider recognizing individuals when they:
- Accomplish annual, monthly, and weekly goals
- Innovate a new work process or improve an existing one
- Take initiative to improve efficiencies or advance process change efforts
- Acquire a new customer or give exceptional service to an existing stakeholder
- Overcome an obstacle or solve a problem
- Take on extra work leading to a positive impact on the team, department, or greater UI community
- Develop positive ways to deal with conflict
- Complete years of service milestones
- Mentor, onboard or support a colleague
- Take on and complete a stretch assignment
- Public or private written comments via e-mail, letter, certificate, etc.
- Submit an Exceptional Performance Award or Spot Award.
- Submit article about team to a newsletter like Iowa Now.
- Post on departmental website or social media.
- Submit an Improving Our Workplace Award nomination.
- Submit a Staff Council sponsored award nomination.
- Give a trophy or plaque based on years of service.
- Throw a party in the recipient's honor.
- A reserved parking space for a week.
- Provide financial support for continued education or a professional development opportunity.
Financial Support Options for Recognition
Staff Appreciation Grants
Areas of Impact:
- Team Building Events
- Departmental Celebrations
- Small Gifts or Tokens of Appreciation
If you have questions about Rewards and Recognition, call Organizational Effectiveness at 319-335-3558 or email oe-leader@uiowa.edu.